Attend Docs for Sale
Join Docs for Sale – IDFA’s international sales and distribution market – where completed documentary films and series meet the professionals who bring the world’s best creative documentary cinema to audiences worldwide.
Over five days in November, filmmakers, rights holders, buyers, and distributors come together in Amsterdam to screen films, discover new titles, and build connections that support sales, circulation, and exhibition.
Opening hours and location
Docs for Sale is open from Saturday, November 14 to Wednesday, November 18, 09:00 – 18:00. Find us in Het Documentaire Paviljoen, Vondelpark 3.
Who can attend
Docs for Sale brings together two main groups of professionals:
Films included in the Docs for Sale catalogue (IDFA-selected films and titles selected directly for the catalogue). They use the market to position their film, connect with buyers and programmers, and build momentum for distribution.
Festival programmers, distributors, sales agents, and exhibitors. They access the curated catalogue and attend the market to discover new titles and meet rights holders.
First-time buyers interested in attending can contact the Docs for Sale team at docsforsale@idfa.nl.
Market services and networking
IDFA's Industry Program offers talks, sessions, and meetings that provide insight into current developments in documentary and distribution.
Find more information about the Industry Program.
Daily social moments and drinks create additional opportunities for informal exchange across the festival.
IDFA’s Markets Opening Drinks
The IDFA Industry team invites you to join us for a drink to kick off this year’s Markets and to connect with fellow industry guests.
Sunday November 15, 21:00 – 23:00
Location: Het Documentaire Paviljoen, Vondelpark 3
The Markets Opening Drinks are hosted by Italian Trade Agency and Doc/it.
Open to IDFA Forum and Docs for Sale passholders.
Docs for Sale Happy Hour
Daily Happy Hours offer space to meet other professionals and continue conversations outside formal meetings.
Saturday, November 14 – Wednesday, November 18, 17:00 – 18:00
Location: Het Documentaire Paviljoen, Vondelpark 3 – Docs for Sale Lounge.
The Docs for Sale Happy Hours are sponsored by Autlook Filmsales, Millennium Docs Against Gravity, Rise & Shine World Sales and SEE NL.
Open to Docs for Sale Acquisition, Docs for Sale Participant, and IDFA Forum passholders.
Guests Meet Guests
Daily drinks for all festival guests and passholders.
Friday, November 13 – Wednesday, November 18, 18:30 – 20:00
Locations:
November 13, 14 & 18: Het Documentaire Paviljoen, Vondelpark 3
November 15 – 17: De Duif, Prinsengracht 756
The Guests Meet Guests drinks are hosted by Polish Docs PRO & Wajda Film Centre, ARTE, and Catalan Films & Docs Barcelona.
Docs for Sale offers a variety of spaces to help you do business, network and meet.
Docs for Sale Lounge
The exclusive meeting space for Docs for Sale accredited guests, dedicated to meet and connect with fellow guests.
Saturday, November 14 – Wednesday, November 18, 9:00 – 18:00
Location: Het Documentaire Paviljoen, Vondelpark 3
Work Lounge – De Huiskamer
A space to sit and work and to take meetings, open to all IDFA attendees.
Saturday, November 14 – Sunday, November 22, 8:30 – 18:00
Location: Het Documentaire Paviljoen, Vondelpark 3
Vertigo
The public café and restaurant in Het Documentaire Paviljoen is available for informal meetings and socializing.
Saturday, November 14 – Sunday, November 22, 9:00 – 23:00
Location: Het Documentaire Paviljoen, Vondelpark 3
Accredited guests and festival visitors enjoy 20% off lunch or dinner – just show your festival pass or a valid IDFA film ticket from the same day.
Gijsbrecht Bordes
A dedicated space to arrange informal meetings, take a break or meet colleagues.
Saturday, November 14 – Sunday, November 15, 10:00 – 18:00
Monday, November 16 – Wenesday, November 18, 9:45 – 18:00
Location: Stadsschouwburg Amsterdam, Leidseplein 26
Brasserie & Rotonde
The ground-floor public café and restaurant in Stadsschouwburg Amsterdam is also available for meetings and socializing.
Saturday, November 14 – Sunday, November 22, 9:00 – 00:00
Wednesday, November 18: 09:00 – 21:00
Location: Stadsschouwburg Amsterdam, Leidseplein 26
Pleinzaal
Networking and meeting space in De Balie.
Monday, November 16 – Wednesday, November 18, 10:00 – 17:00
Location: De Balie, Kleine-Gartmanplantsoen 10
All passholders have access to the IDFA Guest List, where attending professionals can be filtered by role or accreditation type.
Docs for Sale Participant and Acquisition pass holders can get discounted tickets for film screenings. Details about access can be found on the accreditation page.
Services for Participant passholders
In October, the Docs for Sale team hosts an online introduction session for all first-time participants in the market with a film in the catalogue.
To join, email: docsforsale@idfa.nl
Be sure to check out our guide for first-timers at Docs for Sale as well, which includes helpful tips to do before, during, and after the festival, and some seasoned advice from Docs for Sale regulars.
During the market, a matchmaker is available in the Docs for Sale Lounge to help new participants navigate the program and connect with relevant professionals.
In collaboration with the Industry Talks department, Docs for Sale passholders can take part in curated consultancies focused on networking, business development and industry insight.
The consultancies will be published on October 23, and can be be booked from October 26 at 12:00 (CET). Places are limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Services for Acquisition passholders
Acquisition passholders have access to a limited number of videotheque-style viewing booths to screen titles from the annual Docs for Sale catalogue of approximately 300 films. Booths can be booked on site up to three consecutive hours.
Every year, the catalogue presents a curated selection of documentary films, series, and shorts seeking distribution and exhibition.
It includes IDFA-selected films, sales agent slates, and market-ready titles selected by the Docs for Sale team.
The 2026-2027 catalogue will be published on October 30 and accessible for Acquisition passholders via the MyIDFA page.
Six teams showcase their work during the Rough Cut Presentations, each presenting a 20-minute excerpt of their film.
- Date and time: November 15, 12:30 – 15:40
- Access: Open to Forum passholders and Docs for Sale Acquisition passholders, by invitation.
- Full rough cuts are made available online for a limited period after the market.
- The program is a collaboration between Docs for Sale and IDFA Forum.
- To request meetings with a project: docsforsale@idfa.nl
Read more about the Rough Cut Presentations & explore this year's six Rough Cut projects.
How to attend Docs for Sale
Happy Hour
